There’s always a way

A short story by Lesley D. Biswas on family dynamics

Each time Preeti and her parents visited her grandparents in a small town, the journey back to their city was sombre. This time, Dadaji was ailing.

They had spent an extra week to cheer him up and everyone had been teary eyed when bidding him goodbye. Noticing the tears still in her 11-year-old daughter’s eyes, Ma tried to console her. “It’s difficult for all of us, Preeti. But we wouldn’t leave your grandparents alone if we could help it. You can’t miss more school and I have to rejoin work too.”

Papa added, “I asked your Dadaji to come and live with us. Didn’t you hear his reply?”

Dadaji’s words rang in Preeti’s ears: “You know what happens when you uproot an old tree.” He had turned down Papa’s offer to relocate to the city because he was used to a certain way of life. He would find it difficult to change at his age. Dadi too would miss her childhood friends from home.

Back at home, Preeti kept going over Dadaji’s words in her mind. She wondered why it was so hard to find a way. Old people might find it difficult to adjust due to their fixed habits but ….

Suddenly, she had an idea and ran to tell Ma about it. Ma listened intently and then suggested a family discussion over tea. In their home, all big decisions were taken over steaming cups of tea and piping hot pakoras.